Page 39 of Hot Chocolate & Hitmen

"I know I messed up, okay?” He slurs, running a shaky hand through his hair. “But we can fix this. Tina was a mistake!” He hesitates for a second, before continuing under his breath. “One you weren’t meant to find out about.”

I shake my head, my heart racing with a mixture of disgust and clarity. Although he can’t see it, he must sense my hesitation because he stiffens and sneers at me.

“I saw you, Grace. I saw everything you did with those...bastards,” he sneers, stepping in so close that I can feel his spit on my cheek. “I was in here theentire fucking timethey were pounding every slick hole of yours. So don’t pretend like you’re somefucking saint.”

Creeping shame tries to claw its way up, my eyes burning as old habits fight to take control. But I shove it back down, smashing it with a mental image of a giant candy cane obliterating a flimsy gingerbread house. The whole thing crumples, stale crumbs and dry frosting scattering on impact.

There’s nothing wrong with what I did. Nothing at all.

So I laugh.

“Wow, Jason. I didn’t know you were into voyeurism.Kinky.” A smile creeps onto my face, but it’s not a nice one.

The atmosphere in the room thickens as something more sinister creeps into his voice.

"You think this is funny?" Jason snarls. I can just about make out his face contorting with rage. "I'm trying to save you!"

I shake my head, my earlier amusement fading into pity and disgust. "No, Jason. You're trying to control me, just like you always have. You’re jealous and finally realizing that you’re losing your hold on me. But I'm done."

He lunges forward, grabbing my wrist in a bruising grip. "You're not thinking clearly. Those men have brainwashed you!"

I wrench my arm free, stumbling as far away from him as the bathroom wall allows. "The only one who ever tried to brainwash me was you. They've shown me more respect in days than you have in years."

"So that's how it is? You're choosing them over me?"

"I'm choosing myself," I say firmly, straightening my spine. "Now get out of my way."

He moves around me to block the door, his body tense. "Enough!” I jump at the growl in his voice. “You aren’t going back to them. I’m taking you home."

Fear flickers through me, but I push it down. I won't let him see me weak. Not anymore.

A crash sounds from the other side of the bathroom door, but I’m too focused on what Jason is doing to process anything. When his shadow steps forward, I grab the nearest thing to me and launch it at his stupid face. At least…I try to. Only, I clearly miss by a mile as the mini projectile crashes into the mirror, shattering it on impact.Oops.

We stand there frozen, both as shocked as the other that I would attempt to harm him in any way. Which…makes sense. I’ve never hurt anyone, nor would I want to.

"Move, Jason," I command, my voice snapping like sleigh reins on Christmas Eve.

It takes a second for him to collect himself before he’s stepping closer to me. His footsteps ominous in the silence. "Or what?"

Before I can respond, the bathroom door slams open with a thunderous crash, splintered wood flying everywhere. Lit by the moonlight at his back, Atlas fills the doorway, his massive frame radiating fury. Teddy and Key flank him, their expressions equally murderous.

"Or that," I say, my entire body relaxing instantly, unable to keep the relief from my voice.

All three of their eyes target-lock onto Jason, but it’s Atlas who speaks. His voice promising violence. "Get. Away. From. Her."

Jason's eyes widen in panic. In a desperate move, he tries to duck behind me, grabbing my shoulders to use me as a human shield against the three furious men.

I roll my eyes. That most definitely wasn’t the smartest move to make.

"Stay back!" he shouts, his voice cracking.

But I'm done being strung along like tinsel on his twisted tree. No more playing the pawn in his reindeer games! With newfound strength and resolve, I drive my elbow back sharply, connecting solidly with his solar plexus. As Jason gasps and loosens his grip, I twist and kick out hard, my foot landing squarely between his legs.

Jason lets out a high-pitched yelp, doubling over and releasing me completely. I stumble forward, away from him, straight into Key's waiting arms.

Teddy and Atlas move swiftly past us, roughly grabbing Jason by the arms and hauling him upright. He wheezes, still bent over in pain.

"Looks like our Grace doesn't need much protecting after all," Key quips with a grin and I lean into his solid warmth, feeling safe and vindicated.

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